United? We Pray

Latest Episodes:

Small & Unannounced: Unity & Underground Churches (w/ Karen Ellis) Nov 29, 2017

Show notes

Hosts: Isaac Adams & Trillia Newbell

Guest: Karen Ellis

Overview: “Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field…” (Matt. 13:31)

Missiologist Karen Ellis joins Isaac Adams and Trillia Newbell to share insights about race and unity from her work with underground churches. Karen focuses on the faithfulness of brothers and sisters in churches around the world as they do work that is small and unannounced. That’s what the things of the kingdom typically are—small, quiet, unannounced. Nonetheless, Karen reminds us that, “Unity may not be loudest voice out the gate, but praise God, it’ll be the voice that lasts into eternity.”

If you have ever felt like you’re not an expert on race and unity, if you have ever felt spiritually flabby in your prayer life, join us for this episode. In it, Karen reminds us of the freedom there is in faithfulness and in not having our voices dominate the scene and she speaks to other questions as well:

Is race a only a challenge for American churches? How has the conversation about race changed for evangelical Christians over the years? Do you have to be an expert to speak about race, the church, and justice?

The powerless have a word about power. If believers in a loud world can be quiet enough, we just might hear it.

Links & Show Notes:

Follow Karen Ellis on Twitter

To learn more about United? We Pray follow us on Twitter or our website. Please consider rating the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and subscribe using your favorite podcast client to hear more!

Recorded and produced by Karl Magnuson
Graphic design by Rob Alvey

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To learn more about United? We Pray, follow us on Instagram and keep exploring our website. Please consider rating the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and subscribe using your favorite podcast client to hear more!

Merciful Mouths: Bold & Foolish Words (w/ Jackie Hill Perry) Nov 15, 2017

Show notes

“He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”– Micah 6:8

Episode Overview:

In this episode, Jackie Hill Perry discusses the difference between boldness and foolishness in speaking about race and the church. Jackie, Trillia, and Isaac discuss the power of prayer to guard the believer against unforgiveness and bitterness as well as other concerns about how the church is treated within this conversation.

What might weary saints do as they wait upon the Lord? When it comes to the race conversation, what are the pitfalls in how Christians use our language? How does one walk the line between their honesty being boldness or foolishness?

Join us in prayer, as we look to God’s Word and remember that out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks; that mercy and justice are to go hand-in-hand; and that there is coming a day where justice, peace, and kindness will reign because Jesus reigns.

Links & Show Notes:

“I Am Delivered” Jackie mentioned that in this life God delivers us from sin, but we have not yet been finally delivered. In this article, she teases that idea and concept out more of what God has done and what he has yet to do.
“The Art of Joy” Jackie’s first hip-hop album, “The Art of Joy” was mentioned in this episode; it focuses on how joy in Christ is what we were made for, and how that joy is better than anything else we might imagine.

UWP Podcast Recorded and produced by Karl Magnuson. Graphic design by Rob Alvey.

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Evil Days: First Baptist Church, Sutherland Springs (W/ Matt Chandler) Nov 08, 2017

Show notes

“As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.” Nehemiah 1:4

Episode Overview:

Originally, Isaac and Trillia planned to talk and pray about white supremacy with Matt Chandler. However, given the recent tragedy in Texas at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, we thought it would be appropriate to pray for our brothers and sisters there.

While some may question the response of prayer in these times, we do not. And because of our unity in Christ, when one part of the body suffers, we all suffer. Regardless of our ethnicity, we are one—we share the same Spirit and the same Savior. Though there’s a question mark in the minds of many regarding racial unity, our unity in Christ is not in question. And so we pray.

Join us as we lament, pray, and discuss the pitfalls of social media in an age of evil, too often seen in mass shootings.

Links & Show Notes:

Deep Demons: Race & The Church (w/ Ray Ortlund) As referenced in this episode, here is the United? We Pray episode where Ray Ortlund explains our oneness in Christ.
Texas Shooting Kills 26 at Southern Baptist Church A short article describing the massacre that occurred at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs.
The Enduring Effects of White Supremacy in American Culture Professor Jarvis Williams reflects on Dylann Roof slaying nine black brothers and sisters at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church.

Hosts:

Isaac Adams & Trillia Newbell

Guest:

Matt Chandler

UWP Podcast Recorded and produced by Karl Magnuson. Graphic design by Rob Alvey.

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Weak, Weary, Strong: Enduring As A Bridge-Builder Nov 01, 2017

Show notes

Hosts: Isaac Adams & Trillia Newbell

Overview: “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-10)

In this third episode, Isaac Adams and Trillia Newbell discuss why being a bridge-builder is so difficult and how bridge builders, in Christ, can persevere in their ministries. The reality for anyone building a bridge is that bridges get stepped on, they get driven on from both sides, and they’re the first to freeze over when the bad weather hits. How might a bridge builder guard against cynicism and despair? Why should they pray for the very folks who are burning bridges? What might taking care of yourself as a bridge-builder look like?
We don’t have all the wisdom to answer these questions, and so we pray.

Often, bridge-building work can be discouraging work because of sin—both the sin of others and our own. What’s more, bridge-builders can be tempted to look for external fruit from their labors, when the reality is that we cannot calculate our own fruit. We labor, but God gives the growth. Yet the great hope of bridge builders is that when we are weak, we are strong in the Lord. His grace is sufficient. His mercies are new each morning. And so we pray with this hope, knowing that, as one theologian said, “God will change out his workmen but carry on his work.”

If you know someone who is doing good bridge-building work, why not drop them a note of encouragement? We can never encourage one another too much. If there’s a brother or sister, whether publicly or locally, whose ministry you’ve appreciated, why not encourage them?

Recorded and produced by Karl Magnuson
Graphic design by Rob Alvey

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Deep Demons: Race & The Church (w/ Ray Ortlund) Oct 18, 2017

Show notes

Hosts: Isaac Adams & Trillia Newbell

Guest: Ray Ortlund

Overview: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

Join Trillia Newbell, Isaac Adams, and Ray Ortlund as they discuss racial strife and the church. While recording this episode, Ray made an apt analogy. He compared the evil of racism to the demon possessing the boy in Mark 9:14-29. Jesus said about that demon: "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer." Reflecting on racism in the church, Ray said, "that demon is deep, baby; it's deep!" And so we pray.

We pray, as Trillia mentioned, that we wouldn't be smiling racists. We confess our weakness. And we do so because, as Ray said, "If we’re really going to make a difference regarding ethnic strife and unity, prayer must be at the foundation of everything.”

Links & Show Notes:

1. Black Lives Matter and Racial Tension in AmericaHere's an article breaking down the statistics of racial divisions in American churches in light of the racial strife from the last few years.

2. Divided by FaithA fuller-treatment that analyzes, from a sociological perspective, the differences in worldviews of different evangelicals and how that leads to racial divisions.

3. No Racial Reconciliation Without Intersectionality and PrivilegeIs "white privilege" a term devised simply to make white people feel guilty? This article looks at privilege, and the different kinds of privilege, and suggests how we might both reckon with the truth and use the benefits God has given us for the service of others. It re-frames the understanding of privilege in a biblical perspective and speaks to the need for a more dynamic conversation about the complexities of race if racial reconciliation will occur.

Recorded and produced by Karl Magnuson
Graphic design by Rob Alvey

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What A Chorus That Would Be | Pilot: Episode 1 Oct 04, 2017

Show notes

Overview: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

In this first episode, Isaac Adams and Trillia Newbell discuss the purpose of United? We Pray and share their hopes for the podcast. The Bible makes clear that God’s people are a praying people, and United? We Pray seeks to encourage more prayer about racial struggles. We hope to pray proactively, and we hope to praise God, confess to God, thank God, and ask of God. What’s more, we hope that brothers and sisters listening in on these prayer join in prayer because, as Trillia says, “what a chorus that would be!”

The issue of race, unity, and the church may daunt you; it may have you altogether weary. Wherever you may be, join us as we come to the throne of grace in Jesus’ name. We pray that we would see these issues not as something entirely negative, something like a prison, but as something that can glorify God, a prism that reflects his beauty.

Links & Show Notes:

Hosts: Isaac Adams & Trillia Newbell

Recorded and produced by Karl Magnuson
Graphic design by Rob Alvey

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United? We Pray Podcast Overview Sep 27, 2017

Show notes

One thing is clear: when it comes to unity in the church across racial lines, we need divine help. Prayer is how we ask for that help (James 1:5). Christians don't agree on how to address racial divisions, but Christians do agree that we ought to rely upon God in prayer. We must do more than pray if we are to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace, but we cannot do less. Will you pray with us?

Recorded and produced by Karl Magnuson
Graphic design by Rob Alvey

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